As promised here is the prototype of the 1970 Datsun 240-Z. There were 8 of these replicas created with a two-version run. The early version had no chassis backstamp; the later had a signature edition backstamp. This was Mr. Yutaka Katayama's personal car. He was the designer of the 240-Z and the design of the front end was unique! This was intended to be a SIGNATURE run, like the Callaway and Shelby's, but, do to the poor sales of the Callaway project this one was scrapped for fear that this project would not generate the desired interest too.

However, at the birth of this project promotional pictures of Mr. K. were taken signing the car. Those pictures are probably buried somewhere at FM? Paul Taylor, whose orange car we shot, took a G-nose to the annual convention where he had Mr. K. sign the G-Nose. When Mr. K saw the model he smiled fondly and asked Paul where he got it. I believe that Mr. K. did get a model and I know of at least two signed cars to exist.

Just a little HISTORY of Mr. Katayama follows.

Yutaka Katayama, affectionately known as “Mr. K” by Z owners, founded Nissan Motor’s U.S. subsidiary in 1960, and is widely considered the “father” of the Z-Car. Free Press Business Columnist Doron Levin wrote, “Katayama epitomized the politically incorrect Japanese auto executive.

One of the few Japanese Christians, he came from a wealthy family, raced in road rallies in Australia, racked up speeding tickets everywhere he went, and unabashedly admired American culture.” According to author David Halberstam, “Katayama constantly clashed with superiors in Tokyo. When the executives insisted that the car that was to become the 240-Z be named ‘Fairlady’ [after the rare 1960 4-seat SPL212; the first open-air roadster imported by Nissan under the Datsun logo], Katayama and his colleagues just pried the nameplates off the first cars and replaced them with 240-Z badges. Finally, in the mid-1970s, Nissan yanked Katayama, and shortly thereafter committed the colossal blunder of cashiering the Datsun name.” On October 13, 1998, he was justly enshrined in the Automotive Hall of Fame.